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The Marx Brothers
imitates Groucho Marx|frame]] The Marx Brothers were an iconic American comedy troupe, led by Julius "Groucho" Marx (1890-1977) and included brothers Harpo and Chico (all stage and film work), Zeppo (in early films), and Gummo (in the stage era). The brothers performed on stage and in a series of successful farcical movies, including A Day at the Races, A Night at the Opera, A Night in Casablanca, Duck Soup, and Animal Crackers, amongst others. Groucho, with his greasepaint moustache, thick cigar, spectacles, and wavy hair, developed the persona of consummate wisecracker and con artist. As a solo performer, Groucho hosted the radio and television game show You Bet Your Life, a series which relied less on the suspense of competition than on the host's patter and rapport with contestants. References The song "Lydia, the Tattooed Lady," first performed by Groucho in the film At the Circus, was used in The Muppet Show episode 102. Duck Soup featured Groucho and Harpo in a now famous mirror scene: in an empty hallway, Harpo would mime to be the reflection of Groucho, confusing him in the process. A similar routine was done in The Muppet Show episode 104 between Kermit and Robot Kermit. Gonzo, upon entering George Burns' dressing room in episode 210, is addressed as "One of the Marx Brothers: Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Gonzo." Spike Milligan assists Sam the Eagle with an oration on The Muppet Show episode 317, in which he comes out on stage representing an English gentleman. However, he speaks in such a thick brogue, that Sam can't understand him and claims he is not speaking the Queen's English. Spike replies in an eyebrow-raising, faux cigar-holding Groucho Marx pose, "Why should I? She never speaks any of mine." One of Spike's Goon partners, Peter Sellers, tended to slip in a Groucho voice every now and again in his career. He appeared as a gypsy violinist on The Muppet Show episode 219, being told "play" by the Muppets. Temporarily breaking away from his gypsy voice, Peter said in Groucho style, miming cigar-holding, "Listen, any more talk like that and I will play!" In The Muppets Go Hollywood, Dick van Dyke catches Fozzie Bear with a bag of cement, planning to add his own signature to the Grauman's Chinese Theater sidewalk. Fozzie explains, "I know it's crazy -- but, you see, my dream is to be here with all the Hollywood comedian greats, you know? My pawprint right here with them, like Abbott and Costello, and the Marx Brothers, and -- oh, look, the Ritz Brothers!" The "Groucho glasses," combining Groucho's trademarked spectacles with fake nose, moustache, and (usually) thick eyebrows, have appeared as a recurring Muppet prop. Kermit the Frog and friends used them as a disguise when raiding the Mallory Gallery in The Great Muppet Caper. The Fozzie Bear Action Figure came with a pair of the glasses. Red Fraggle donned a pair in the Fraggle Rock episode "The Secret Society of Poobahs," and Elmo can be seen wearing them in Music Works Wonders. The Merrill Lunch Hungerdunger McCormack All Accountant Marching Society, from The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson is a reference to the "Hungerdunger, Hungerdunger, Hungerdunger and McCormack" scene from Animal Crackers. Elmo appeared as Groucho (with Telly Monster as Harpo and Herry Monster as Chico) in A Brief History of Cinema According to designer Stephen Rotondaro in production notes for The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, "The Mayor of Grouchland is our version of Groucho Marx." External Links *IMDb Marx